Political Activism’s Long History in Athletics and Why it Makes Sense in Sports

Political Activism’s Long History in Athletics and Why it Makes Sense in Sports

Both in the United States and around the world, sports are considered by some as the pinnacle of both public spectacle and leisurely activity. For those who spectate, they often look to sports as an escape from the stresses of everyday life – work, bills, even politics. Stereotypically, the closest the average American gets to a state of ‘zen’ is on a Sunday afternoon, with a beer in hand and their favorite NFL team either on the television screen or right in front of them as a live spectator. For a portion of avid fans, the political purity of sports was forever changed in an otherwise non-notable 2016 NFL preseason matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. After 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a seat as opposed to standing for the U.S. national anthem, Kaepernick opened up to NFL media about why he decided to sit out from the anthem.

Boland-Ferguson, Austin

Rider University

Bausman, Charles

Baccalaureate Honors Program

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English

Capstone